<p class="title">A troop of monkeys died from suspected heatstroke in India as scorching temperatures that have lasted more than a week, that took a mounting toll on humans and animals, media reports said on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Vast swathes of the country have been sweltering in temperatures that have risen to over 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in Rajasthan state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The monkeys died in Joshi Baba forest range in Madhya Pradesh state where the thermometer reached 46 Celsius (114 Fahrenheit).</p>.<p class="bodytext">District forest officer P. N. Mishra said the primates were believed to have fought with a rival troop over access to a water source.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This is rare and strange as herbivores don't indulge in such conflicts," Mishra told NDTV network.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We're probing all possibilities, including the possibility of conflict between groups of monkeys for water which led to the death of 15 monkeys from a 30-35-strong group of monkeys living in the caves," Mishra was quoted as saying.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Certain groups of monkeys which are large in number and dominate that particular part may have scared away the smaller group of monkeys from the water," Mishra said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An autopsy said heatstroke likely caused the deaths.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tigers have also been reported to be moving out of forest reserves into villages in search of water, causing alerts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Temperatures touched 50.3 degrees Celsius in the Rajasthan town of Churu last week, just shy of India's record of 51 degrees.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The heatwave has exposed falling water levels in underground reservoirs and there have been a number of human deaths reported.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Jharkhand state, a man stabbed six others after he was stopped from filling extra water barrels at a public tank, media reported on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Friday, a 33-year-old man died after a similar fight in Tamil Nadu state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian peninsula has seen a drastic change in rainfall patterns over the past decade, marked by frequent droughts, floods, and sudden storms.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Uttar Pradesh state, 26 people died after freak dust storms, rain and lightning hit the northern plains on Thursday, officials said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kerala in the south got some respite from heat Saturday after annual monsoon rains arrived, more than a week later than expected.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Farmers across South Asia depend rely on the four-month monsoon season due to a lack of alternative sources of irrigation.</p>
<p class="title">A troop of monkeys died from suspected heatstroke in India as scorching temperatures that have lasted more than a week, that took a mounting toll on humans and animals, media reports said on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Vast swathes of the country have been sweltering in temperatures that have risen to over 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in Rajasthan state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The monkeys died in Joshi Baba forest range in Madhya Pradesh state where the thermometer reached 46 Celsius (114 Fahrenheit).</p>.<p class="bodytext">District forest officer P. N. Mishra said the primates were believed to have fought with a rival troop over access to a water source.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This is rare and strange as herbivores don't indulge in such conflicts," Mishra told NDTV network.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We're probing all possibilities, including the possibility of conflict between groups of monkeys for water which led to the death of 15 monkeys from a 30-35-strong group of monkeys living in the caves," Mishra was quoted as saying.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Certain groups of monkeys which are large in number and dominate that particular part may have scared away the smaller group of monkeys from the water," Mishra said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An autopsy said heatstroke likely caused the deaths.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tigers have also been reported to be moving out of forest reserves into villages in search of water, causing alerts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Temperatures touched 50.3 degrees Celsius in the Rajasthan town of Churu last week, just shy of India's record of 51 degrees.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The heatwave has exposed falling water levels in underground reservoirs and there have been a number of human deaths reported.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Jharkhand state, a man stabbed six others after he was stopped from filling extra water barrels at a public tank, media reported on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Friday, a 33-year-old man died after a similar fight in Tamil Nadu state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian peninsula has seen a drastic change in rainfall patterns over the past decade, marked by frequent droughts, floods, and sudden storms.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Uttar Pradesh state, 26 people died after freak dust storms, rain and lightning hit the northern plains on Thursday, officials said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kerala in the south got some respite from heat Saturday after annual monsoon rains arrived, more than a week later than expected.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Farmers across South Asia depend rely on the four-month monsoon season due to a lack of alternative sources of irrigation.</p>